For this reflection, describe an activity that you have taught and reflect on how it went. Write your reflection in your Evernote notebook using the lesson reflection model introduced in class and located here to write your reflections. Copy your reflection and paste it into the wikipage linked below:
Name: Dan WilsonLesson Title: Molecular and Ionic CompoundsObservation Date: November 19, 2013
Instructions:
When you finish a lesson, the first question you might answer to yourself is "How did it go?". To develop a habit of thinking about your teaching as a way of improving your teaching, it can be helpful to ask yourself a sequence of increasingly probing questions. Such a sequence is suggested below. After reviewing your instructor's notes or audio recording of your lesson, use the questions in the table below to think about your lesson and arrive at some concrete steps for improving your practice.
Taxonomy of Reflection
Description
Remembering:
What did I want, do, feel, and think?
What did the student(s) want, do, feel, and think?
I taught a lesson on molecular and ionic compounds. It included the definitions of the two different types of compounds, how to distinguish them from one another, and how to predict the charge on an ionic compound. The students were well behaved, took notes on the material, answered my questions, and asked their own questions.
I wanted students to feel comfortable with me teaching and be able to do some basic examples by the end of the lesson. I think the students wanted to figure out whether or not I was "cool" or not more than they wanted to learn the subject material.
I felt a little nervous, but I got more comfortable as the lesson progressed. I think that the students became comfortable with my teaching as the lesson progressed.
I thought that some students picked up on the material more quickly than others, but almost everyone was comfortable with the material by the end of the lesson. I think the students were pleased when the material clicked for them. One student said that part of the lesson blew his mind.
Understanding:
What was important about it?
For me? For the student(s)? For both of us?
For me: It was important that I was able to take control of a lesson and have students doing what I wanted by the end of the period.
For the students: It was important for the students to learn the material, but it was also important for them to become comfortable with me teaching them. Students need to feel comfortable with a new teacher in order for them to temporarily give up their old one.
For both of us: It was important for the students and I to get to know each other and build the beginning of an interactive relationship.
Applying:
Where can I use this again?
My cooperating teacher really liked my visual representations and notes, and she said that I could hang on to them for future use. She did not have many recommendations for changing my preparation.
Analyzing:
Do I see any patterns in what I did?
I taught this lesson to two different classes. I noticed improvements in my teaching the second time I taught the lesson. I think this was because I had gained confidence. I was able to present the material, propose questions, and answer questions more confidently and by drawing on a larger amount of my knowledge than before. I was able to think more clearly.
Evaluating:
What was effective and what was not effective?
I think that the visual representations in the PowerPoint presentation I used were effective. The students did a good job taking notes, but some students took longer than others because they were trying to copy everything on the screen word-for-word. Simplifying the notes may have helped. I also think that using hand-held models of the compounds discussed would have been helpful.
Creating:
What could I do next?
A logical next step would be to use the molecular and ionic compounds discussed in my lesson as examples in other lessons and discussions. It can be helpful for students to see familiar material presented in a new way or real-world applications of abstract knowledge.
Observation / Reflection #5: What Just Happened?
For this reflection, describe an activity that you have taught and reflect on how it went. Write your reflection in your Evernote notebook using the lesson reflection model introduced in class and located here to write your reflections. Copy your reflection and paste it into the wikipage linked below:Name: Dan WilsonLesson Title: Molecular and Ionic CompoundsObservation Date: November 19, 2013
Instructions:
When you finish a lesson, the first question you might answer to yourself is "How did it go?". To develop a habit of thinking about your teaching as a way of improving your teaching, it can be helpful to ask yourself a sequence of increasingly probing questions. Such a sequence is suggested below. After reviewing your instructor's notes or audio recording of your lesson, use the questions in the table below to think about your lesson and arrive at some concrete steps for improving your practice.
What did I want, do, feel, and think?
What did the student(s) want, do, feel, and think?
I wanted students to feel comfortable with me teaching and be able to do some basic examples by the end of the lesson. I think the students wanted to figure out whether or not I was "cool" or not more than they wanted to learn the subject material.
I felt a little nervous, but I got more comfortable as the lesson progressed. I think that the students became comfortable with my teaching as the lesson progressed.
I thought that some students picked up on the material more quickly than others, but almost everyone was comfortable with the material by the end of the lesson. I think the students were pleased when the material clicked for them. One student said that part of the lesson blew his mind.
What was important about it?
For me? For the student(s)? For both of us?
For the students: It was important for the students to learn the material, but it was also important for them to become comfortable with me teaching them. Students need to feel comfortable with a new teacher in order for them to temporarily give up their old one.
For both of us: It was important for the students and I to get to know each other and build the beginning of an interactive relationship.
Where can I use this again?
Do I see any patterns in what I did?
What was effective and what was not effective?
What could I do next?